An Introduction to Arts degrees
Arts degrees instruct students in the domains of liberal arts, social sciences and humanities, and are offered at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. An arts degree equips students with a strong foundation that allows them to work and succeed in any field of their choice. The duration of an arts degree varies at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. At the undergraduate level it is either a three year or a four year course and at the postgraduate level it is either a one year or two year course.

Reasons to study arts courses abroad

  • Universities abroad are renowned for providing a hands-on teaching experience to students. Arts programmes abroad combine knowledge of multiple subjects with practice while teaching students. This method of teaching helps students in learning better and provides them with a practical learning approach that will help them in their future careers.

  • Studying an arts degree abroad makes you a member of an exclusive global network. Studying abroad will provide you with opportunities to share experiences, ideas and knowledge with peers from across the world. You may also meet like-minded individuals that might lead to business partnerships in the future.

  • Universities abroad usually have placement partnerships with a number of top organisations. Hence, studying at these universities can help you obtain a job in any of these organisations, thus kick-starting your international career and making you a part of the global workforce. Some of the career opportunities in accounting include chartered accountants, taxation managers, auditors, management accountants and personal financial advisors.

  • Studying for an arts degree abroad helps in boosting your overall resume and profile. Even if you return to your home country, your profile would be in demand since organisations are always looking to hire students who have international exposure and an international perspective.

 Students pursuing arts degrees obtain an expansive education and they can choose what they want to study from a large variety of options. An arts degree syllabus usually consists of subjects like:

  • Languages;
  • Literature;
  • History;
  • Art;
  • Sociology;
  • Psychology;
  • Philosophy;
  • Political Science;
  • Fine Arts;
  • Music;
  • Graphic Design;
  • Creative Writing.

Arts degrees vs. science degrees

Parameters

Arts Degrees

Science Degrees

Focus

Philosophy, sociology, history, literature, languages and creative writing. 

Mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry and statistics, computer programming and technology. 

Emphasis

Arts degrees give students an opportunity to gain knowledge about a wide variety of subjects.

Science degrees give more emphasis to students’ specialisation as compared to studying general subjects.

Skills required

Strong oral and written communication skills.

Problem-solving and analytical skills.

Signs you would excel at studying an arts degree

  • You like discussing opinions and ideas with others: If you are one of those people who get excited at the prospect of going to college so you can share ideas and opinions with people there, opting for an arts degree would absolutely be the best career path for you. In fact, while writing your university admissions essay, you could include this point.
  • You like studying a variety of subjects: If this is the case, then you should definitely choose an arts course to study. This degree would give you the opportunity to explore several domains that will give you a strong all-rounded education along with critical thinking skills, which will allow you to choose a career in any field of your choice.
  • You want to obtain a non-traditional degree: If you have an interest in studying two or more subjects, the best option is to go for an arts course. Arts courses will give you the flexibility to earn multi-subject (cross-curricular) diplomas. For example, you could combine your love for history and music and earn a diploma in both.